Echos From Lost Mines - J.D. Hill (Overland Monthly & Out West Magazine - 1924)

[Azquester]

The Adams diggings very closely resembles a box canyon full of gold in the Catalina Mountains that I've been to and have photo's of my journey which almost ended with a Rattle Snake bite!. The true Canyon of Gold is not just on the west side of the mountain range. There are large deposits of gold on three sides of the range and inside the huge canada del oro. I've trekked all over those mountains and all the nearby ranges in my hiking / backpacking 4x4 travels.

Lots of mining all around. But, the box canyon that I dry washed in the Catalina's was a pretty large score if you had the time to defend your self from the most numerous hoards along the crevasse walls of Killer Bee's I've ever seen in my life! My wife and I walked through a sea of Rattlers to get there then repelled down with your gear on a rotten rope while hoping the rope doesn't snap why yes, you may take some gold out if your lucky enough to get back up the old cowboy rope with out disturbing the bees nests. Be careful though, the Thunder God will get ya if your caught in a monsoon in that high mountain crevasse! Better watch out and wear a large brimmed hat you may end up with a rattler on your head while your mining the rich hoard. You can have it. We have not been back yet. We tried it two times and it has enough gold to make it profitable. We're looking for the source of the gold because as you know its stays close to home.

Were attempting a third expo up there this winter I going to film it this time on HD Video.



It fit's both the Iron Door Legend and the lost Adams Diggings.

 

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[Old Bookaroo]

Bill Riley:

In W.C. Jameson's book The Silver Madonna and Other Tales of America's Greatest Lost Treasures (2013) he retells the story of the "Four Corners Gold Act" plant. He states a crop-duster was hired to fly the gold bullion from Mexico to the USA - with about a ton of gold carried on each trip.

Why would anyone hire a crop-duster for this job? How much of a load could a crop-dusting airplane possibly carry? This author wants the reader to believe a ton!

Isn't the entire cargo space taken up with the tanks used to hold the pesticide and the equipment to disburse it?

I could see hiring a crop-dusting pilot. Perhaps. But his airplane?

This is just one of the endless available examples of stories in his books that, to me, just defy common sense and logic.


Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Ole Bookarooo you posted ___Why would anyone hire a crop-duster for this job?

sheesh yer prejudiced , sniff. Crop Dusting / fumigating is very precision flying work, used to flying out of makshift airfields. Strict Dept of Agricuture rules, not the round heeled, whte scarfed, devil may care adventurer that most visulize.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

Rd3T: Nope. I asked why anyone would hire a crop-dusting airplane to haul gold bullion. At a ton a trip.

I wrote I could see hiring an experienced pilot - but where in a 1930's crop-duster (a Cessna, I believe) is there room for any more cargo than a box lunch?

As for the white scarf on the pilot, I would think that could get dangerous. Remember what happened to Isadora Duncan?

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Old Bookaroo]

Oroblanco:

You are a gentleman and a scholar - and I appreciate your good manners and good taste.

I did not know the originator of the thread has special powers - I will publicly commit to always use mine for good and never for evil.

I am searching for a copy of that back issue of Western (and Eastern) Treasures we corresponded about a while ago. I'm about to order a back issue of Lost Treasure Magazine - there's an article in it about treasure hunting literature and I can't find any of my copies...

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Hi Buckaroo The only rear wheel on an aircraft is the tiny one under the rudder. As for only carrying a ton of gold at time, I find no problem with that.

 

[sdcfia]

Bill Riley:

In W.C. Jameson's book The Silver Madonna and Other Tales of America's Greatest Lost Treasures (2013) he retells the story of the "Four Corners Gold Act" plant. He states a crop-duster was hired to fly the gold bullion from Mexico to the USA - with about a ton of gold carried on each trip.

Why would anyone hire a crop-duster for this job? How much of a load could a crop-dusting airplane possibly carry? This author wants the reader to believe a ton!

Isn't the entire cargo space taken up with the tanks used to hold the pesticide and the equipment to disburse it?

I could see hiring a crop-dusting pilot. Perhaps. But his airplane?

This is just one of the endless available examples of stories in his books that, to me, just defy common sense and logic.


Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

I believe that most or all of the 1930s crop dusters were lightweight biplanes - either WWI surplus or later. They usually had a payload, including the pilot, of about 600 pounds, more or less. Even Lindbergh's de Havilland mail delivery plane maxed out at 1,000 pounds payload. Jameson, like so many other "treasure writers", made up a lot of the details up as he needed them to fit the story.

 

[cactusjumper]

Rd3T: Nope. I asked why anyone would hire a crop-dusting airplane to haul gold bullion. At a ton a trip.

I wrote I could see hiring an experienced pilot - but where in a 1930's crop-duster (a Cessna, I believe) is there room for any more cargo than a box lunch?

As for the white scarf on the pilot, I would think that could get dangerous. Remember what happened to Isadora Duncan?

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

O.B.,

As I recall, Duncan broke her neck when her driver took off too fast? Course my memory aint so good these days.

Take care,

Joe

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Nah Joe, it seems that her 'long scarf' got wrapped up in the drivers rear wheel and broke her neck.

 

[cactusjumper]

Like I said, my memory ain't so good no more.

Take care,

Joe

 

[Old Bookaroo]

CJ:

It's a line I've used before. Sometimes memory serves. And sometimes it double-faults.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

that ain no excuse, ole buckaroo Joe